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Voykit pocket guide · Türkiye (Turkey)
Amasra
Spend a day in Amasra for the citadel, lighthouse and beach; add a night if you want a relaxed seaside stay.
Amasra is a compact Black Sea harbour town with a historic citadel, a lighthouse, sandy beaches and fresh seafood. It is reachable by bus or dolmuş from Bartın and can be explored on foot in a few hours, making a day trip feasible; an overnight stay lets you enjoy quieter evenings and sunrise at the lighthouse.
- Country
- Türkiye (Turkey)
- Best months
- Jun–Sep
- Avoid
- Oct–May (many businesses close)
- Stay
- 1 night
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- TRY
- Money
- Currency is the Turkish lira (₺, TRY). About ₺56 to €1 in late September 2026 — check; inflation was still in the double digits, so prices rise several times a year.
- Daily spend
- Budget ₺250–₺350 excl. bed · Mid ₺350–₺500 excl. bed · High ₺500+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Turkcell, Vodafone and Türk Telekom sell tourist SIMs at airports (passport needed); they are dearer than in town shops — check.
- Emergency
- General emergency 112
- Plugs
- Types C, F · 230 V · 50 Hz · Standard European two-pin; UK and US plugs need an adapter.
- Tipping
- Lokanta / simple café: Leave the coins or round up.; Sit-down restaurant: 5–10% in cash, even if the card machine does not offer a tip; check for a 'servis' charge first.; Taxi: Round up to the next ₺10–50.; Hamam: 10–15% to the attendant (tellak/natır).; Guide / driver day: €10–20 for a guide, €5–10 for a driver per day.; Hotel porter / housekeeping: ₺50–100.
- Water
- Tap water is treated and chlorinated but tastes of it; locals buy bottled or 19-litre dispenser water. Restaurants charge for bottled water.
- Toilets
- Western toilets in hotels, malls and restaurants; squat toilets (alaturka) in older mosques and bus stops. Public toilets (WC) cost ₺10–30 — carry coins or small notes. Most toilets have a bidet spray; paper goes in the bin in older buildings.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee in a café | 6–10 TL |
| Fresh fish plate | 30–50 TL |
| Amasra pide | 15–25 TL |
| Dolmuş ticket Bartın‑Amasra | 20–30 TL |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- ONQ · Zonguldak Airport
- ≈70 km (43 mi) north, bus connections to Bartın and Amasra≈43 mi (70 km) north, bus connections to Bartın and Amasra
Typical fares
- Dolmuş Bartın → Amasra (round‑trip)
- ≈20–30 TL per person, 20‑30 min (check)
- Parking on breakwater
- ≈€4.5 per day (check)
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
The town is walkable; dolmuşes run every 30 min in summer (20‑30 min from Bartın) and every 2 h in winter. Parking on the breakwater costs about €4.5 per day.
See and do
Known for
- Amasra Citadel
- Deniz Feneri lighthouse
- Büyük Liman and Küçük Liman beaches
- Amasra Museum
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Bartın | Dolmuş from Amasra bus station, 20‑30 min | ≈45 min total |
| Safranbolu | Bus from Bartın to Safranbolu, about 1 h 15 min | ≈2 h total |
| Sinop | Bus via Bartın, about 2 h 30 min | ≈3 h total |
Sleep
- Balkaya Pansiyon
- Harbour side, simple rooms, approx. 800 TL per night
- North Door Hotel
- Central, B&B double 1500 TL
- Gunter Seher Hotel
- East of town, B&B double 1000 TL
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Excuse me / Sorry | Affedersinizaffedersiniz |
| Thank you | Teşekkür ederimteşekkür ederim |
| How much is it? | Ne kadar?ne kadar |
| Where is the bathroom? | Tuvalet nerede?tuvalet nerede |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake; 'Merhaba' (hello) or 'Selamün aleyküm' in conservative areas; cheek kisses between friends of the same sex; avoid: Offering a hand to a conservative woman first — wait for hers
- Mosques: Covered clothing, headscarf for women, shoes in hand, quiet voice; avoid: Walking in front of people praying; visiting during Friday midday prayer
- Hospitality: Accept tea or at least a sip; bring sweets or pastries to a home; avoid: Refusing food repeatedly; showing the soles of your feet
- Politics and history: Listen; let hosts raise it; avoid: Opinions on Atatürk, the Kurdish issue, Armenia or Cyprus with people you just met
- Ramadan: Eat discreetly in conservative towns during the day; avoid: Eating, drinking or smoking in front of fasting people in small towns
- Gestures: A slight upward head nod with a tut means 'no'; avoid: The OK hand sign (can be read as rude) and a thumb between fingers
- Dress in town: Shorts are fine in Istanbul and resorts; longer clothes in the interior and east; avoid: Swimwear away from the beach
- Names: First name plus Bey (men) or Hanım (women): 'Ahmet Bey'; avoid: Using the surname alone
Scams and watch-outs
- Narrow streets inside the citadel are traffic‑restricted; larger vehicles cannot enter.
- Parking is scarce in high season; secure a spot early.
- Many shops and restaurants close from October to May.
Amasra is safe for tourists; standard precautions apply and keep an eye on traffic in narrow streets.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Amasra yet. Suggested stay: 1 night. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Amasra Citadel
- Deniz Feneri lighthouse
- Büyük Liman and Küçük Liman beaches
- Amasra Museum
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Wikivoyage: Amasra, revision 5191894 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5191894
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Amasra
Bu adrese lütfen
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
- General emergency112
US consulate in Istanbul; Turkish consulates in Ankara and other major cities.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/amasra). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.